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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570959">Coming Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyhereforellick/pseuds/onlyhereforellick'>onlyhereforellick</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, alt ep 17x20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:22:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyhereforellick/pseuds/onlyhereforellick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It felt different. It felt like coming home.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Coming Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>kind of forced myself to write this so it could very well suck 🤷🏻♀️😅</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He heard the hushed voices of the two women from where he stood at Nancy’s Far East desk. Jokingly McGee and Bishop had relayed that anything said behind the stairwell bounced perfectly off the walls to make it just to this very spot- he hadn’t believed them back then.</p>
<p><em>I’ll be damned</em>, Nick thought as he distinctly made out Kasie’s tenor followed by Ellie’s. And what was that saying, curiosity killed the cat? Well watch out cool cats and kittens, Nick was about to tempt fate and linger.</p>
<p>Kasie’s excited whisper dropped even lower by the shushes coming from Ellie, “But Bishop, that’s so badass!”</p>
<p>He could almost picture Ellie glancing around nervously as she gestured to keep it down. Nick had to strain to hear the next part by how low her voice had dropped. “I know, I mean-“ Ellie hesitated, “training with Odette isn’t life-changing, but it is pretty intense.”</p>
<p>The buzzing that overtook Nick’s ears drowned out whatever Kasie had to say to that. <em>Ellie was training with- with…Odette??</em></p>
<p>He was shell-shocked, because surely, surely she didn’t go back to the lady that she double-crossed earlier that year. Surely she wasn’t shacking up with the former CIA operative whose departure was redacted. Surely she wasn’t.</p>
<p>And she sure as hell wouldn’t have kept something that large from the team, let alone him. No- not, Mrs. I’m Done With Secrets.</p>
<p>Nick scoffed quite loudly and he could hear the silence fall across the somewhat busy midday bullpen. Ducking his head surreptitiously, Nick’s eyes shot to Nancy to see if he’d been spotted. When her expression resembled that of a deer in headlights, Nick remembered she’d have no clue why he was scoffing, let alone ducking underneath her desk. He’d come here to see if she had any kind of intel on this crazy old man claiming he served on USS Arizona. Gibbs naturally had developed a soft spot for the old sailor and ordered them to track down literally every possible lead. Which led him to here, asking Nancy for her Japan contacts and any archived Pearl Harbor information.</p>
<p>A pointed throat clear from Nancy reminded him that he was most certainly still hiding under her desk like a lunatic. Shaking his head and slowly unfolding his frame, he gave a quick nod and rushed off to the bathroom- in desperate need of collecting himself before going back to his own desk.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It took everything in him to act normal, yet he still felt himself pulling away. With the lack of an actual body and crime scene, it was easy to stay at his desk as much as possible. He joked with McGee only when prompted, and only partnered with Bishop if Gibbs ordered him too.</p>
<p>Nick could sense the questioning looks she shot his way- even when she stole his baseball again and he said nothing. The fake argument wasn’t worth it. Not with the swirling thoughts drowning his mind. While he was certain he went through every emotion- the main two were easily anger and worry.</p>
<p>Anger at the secret she’d clearly kept after very distinctly saying she was not a fan of them and all but over them. Anger at her not <em>trusting</em> him with such an important decision in her life—and not that she needed his permission, but they were best friends, weren’t they? Wasn’t this something you told a best friend?</p>
<p>But then worry. Worry for her well-being when she was with Odette. Worry for her mental health- because what could have happened to drive her to train with a rogue former CIA agent? In the end, the worry trumped his anger. If he searched deep down, he knew why, yet he still refused to say those words out loud. There’d be no going there with Ellie—he couldn’t do that to her, he wouldn’t. She deserved so, so much more than what he had to offer. Even if he worried about her the rest of his life.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Gibbs was finally convinced the sailor served on USS Arizona and miraculously survived Pearl Harbor, he sent them home. An exhausting case of nothing but research and distracting thoughts of Ellie had worn on Nick. Mumbling goodbyes without barely sparing a glance at Ellie, he dragged his feet to the elevator.</p>
<p>Moments before the doors blessedly closed, a singular delicate hand shot in between- stopping the final inches of the doors journey. Nick groaned inwardly, but by the look on Ellie’s face, part of it was outwardly too.</p>
<p>Wordlessly, Nick stepped to the left, allowing the maximum amount of space between them in their descent. Eyes never moving from the very intriguing spec on the floor, Nick felt Ellie practically vibrating next to him. So when her feet came into view and the elevator lights dimmed as the movement halted- Nick wasn’t all that surprised.</p>
<p>Yet...he refused to speak. She was the one with secrets- she could tell him if she wanted to. For the time being, he would stay quiet in his corner of anger and worry.</p>
<p>Her voice came out wary, almost concerned, “Nick, what’s wrong?”</p>
<p>Ah the age old question that grates on every person’s nerves everywhere. Nick <em>really</em> didn’t want to get it to the true heart of the matter—<em>pun not intended</em>, he joked to himself—so he stayed silent.</p>
<p>Ellie adorably stomped her foot in place from where she stood with her arms angrily crossed over her chest, perfectly accentuating her cleavage Nick saw from the corner of his eye despite doing his absolute best to stay unaffected by her growing tirade. Unfortunately for him, he felt her annoyance heighten.</p>
<p>A puff of air preceded her words, “Nick. Why the hell have you ignored me all day today?”</p>
<p>To her point- this training must have given her renown confidence because prior to this, she was not a big one on huge confrontations. The last time she had a show down with him was after he idiotically thought he could return to full active duty less than two weeks post hit and run. And before that it was the whole Hurricane Ziva deal. Realistically, Ellie tried to avoid confrontation until she’d had absolute enough- and even then, she didn’t usually have this much confidence in her tone.</p>
<p>When he took too long to reply, she threw her arms in the air with force and shouted, “NICK. Just tell me!! Why- are you- ignoring- me.”</p>
<p>It was so far unlike her, shocked, Nick’s face immediately twisted to see her fully. And suddenly without warning, all his pent up anger and worry came bursting out right back, “Because I worry damn it Ellie!”</p>
<p>The deep furrow to her brow evidence of her true concern mixed slightly with confusion gave him pause. She might have the front of pissed off partner, but he could see in her micro expressions, she was truly just- concerned. For him.</p>
<p>He went on more quietly, “I worry about you...training- with her. I worry.” He saw the moment of recognition flicker across her face at his words, yet she didn’t become defensive, the concern and almost- understanding still evident.</p>
<p>Nick was on a roll, and moved his body towards her completely. His hand lifting to tuck a stray lock of soft hair behind her ear, lingering afterwards. He whispers this time, “I worry. I- I can’t lose you, Ellie.” As his calloused thumb rubs gently along her jawline, capturing a rogue tear she’d seemingly shed while caught up in the charged emotion.</p>
<p>Eyes searching hers for any signs of doubt or hesitation, and finding nothing, Nick slowly leaned in. His hand guiding her chin to tilt up ever so slightly as her lips pursed in reflex. Her eyes fluttering closed only moments before Nick finally closed the distance and pressed the gentlest of kisses to her lips. Instantly the anger and worry and every other nasty, swirling emotion vanished. When their lips met- it felt different. It felt like coming home.</p>
<p>
  <em>*Fades to Black*</em>
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